Taking of Tampico.

and mortally wounded. The vessel however was got off, and a severe vengeance taken upon the town before the fleet departed. At the close of the summer of 1847, Commodore Perry found it necessary to pay another visit to Tobasco, to show the people there that they were not forgotten.

On the 12th of November, 1846, Commodore Conner sailed for Tampico, which surrendered on the 14th without resistance. The guns belonging to the enemy at Tampico had been carried to Panuco, a town of some five thousand inhabitants, eighty miles inland, on the Panuco river. Commander Tatnall was sent thither with the steamer Spitfire and the schooner Petrel, landed a hundred men, and demanded the surrender of the town which was complied with; the inhabitants being extremely polite and communicative, informing the commander where all the military stores were placed. The result of the expedition was the capture of eleven guns, which were on their way to San Luis Potosi for the use of the Mexican forces, and the destruction by burning and sinking in the river, of army equipments to the amount of thirty thousand dollars.

After the capture of Vera Cruz, Commodore Perry and General Scott planned an attack upon Alvarado, which had twice repulsed the forces of the navy. While the formidable array which was to accomplish this object was preparing, Lieutenant Hunter was despatched in the little steamer Scourge to blockade the town. He sailed thither, opened a fire upon the place with round shot and shell, stood off and on during the night, and in the morning received the surrender of the town, the garrison frightened out of their propriety, having run

Burning of the Crecle.

away in the night. The city-by-brevet being captured, the American flag was hoisted and saluted with twentyone guns, and the little steamer proceeded up the river in pursuit of several vessels which were hastening up the river laden with arms, ammunition, and public property. Four schooners were captured, one of which was burned, another abandoned as worthless, and the two others carried away as prizes. The city of Tlacotalpam, containing seven thousand inhabitants, was summoned to surrender within half an hour, and the demand was complied with. The higher authorities of the navy put a grave face upon this comical achievement, and Lieutenant Hunter was court-martialed, found guilty of disobedience of orders, and sentenced to be publicly reprimanded.

The reprimand was worded with much severity; but the conduct of the lieutenant seems to have been generally approved by his countrymen, and the government gave him the command of the United States schooner Taney, destined for a cruise in the Mediterranean.

One of the most daring achievements of the war, which was followed closely by one of its most lamentable occurrences we have omitted to notice. We close our account of the naval operation with a notice of these incidents.

On the 20th of November, 1846, Lieutenant Parker, with Midshipmen Rodgers and Hynson, and a crew of six men, rowed into the harbour of Vera Cruz in a small boat, and burned the Mexican barque Creole, anchored under the guns of the castle of San Juan de Ulloa. These officers belonged to the beautiful brig Somers, and had performed this skilful and daring feat to sig